Have you ever gone through the dilemma and trauma of having to find a new Personal Groomer (I hate to use the over-used terms such as hairstylist when so many of them are much more than any one component of caring for you) either because you moved or because your Personal Groomer has moved? Did you know that the average length of time that a hair groomer stays in the industry is about 2 years? Then there is the groomers’ moving history. Hair groomers frequently change salons, taking (and leaving) approximately 50% of their clientele.

Oprah once had a show on how difficult it is to “fire” your Groomer. If it is the focal point of an entire Oprah show (the video of which was used in beauty schools), it doesn’t matter whether you are an Oprah fan or not, it has enough weight for consideration in the real world.
We build rather complicated relationships and communication levels with our P.G.s. For example, how many people do you let stand as close to you or touch you with such permission. There are special levels of comfort and correspondence we develop with a good PG relationship. Our outer expression MUST be in sync with who we are in order to feel “ourselves” and express ourselves to others accurately. Besides, it just feels great to look Just FINE!

Building a great relationship with your next Personal Groomer … or in stepping up your current relationship does NOT mean you must tell them your life story or problems. In fact I discourage that sort of communication. The same goes for the reverse conversation.

Your time with your Personal Groomer is YOUR time … and time and company you are paying for. Please put it to great use and learn about your hair, find personal growth oriented topics, talk about products that might be of use to you … or just have fun! Your options are endless and by the way, your problems will be there later anyway. I have many more opinions on the topic, but will only express them upon popular demand.
Here are a few tips from my Hairobics bag of tricks.

*The obvious is to ask your friends… but only if you like the results… remember, too, that you don’t want to look like them.
*Ask someone on the street whose hair and overall “style” you admire for an introduction. Look for skill and appropriateness, not that it necessarily that what you see is what you want … after all, you want to look like YOUR fabulous self in between visits.
*Interview a few Personal Groomers prior to your final decision. Many of them offer complementary consultation sessions by appointment.
*Ask the manager of the salon you are considering if you would be allowed to visit for a period of time and watch their staff work
*Look online for salons you drive by to see if you can learn anything one way or another. *There are user sites like Yelp.com who specialize in client participation and response.
*While you are shopping around, ask to see their price/service lists and perhaps even collect them for comparison before your final decision. Let’s face it money DOES make a difference.
*Discuss your budget for your care with your Personal Groomer ahead of time. Surprises hurt both parties and can get out of hand when left until the end of your service. I recommend figuring out an annual budget and dividing it up based upon the services and scheduling you prefer. I used to give my clients piggy banks with a goal marked on them for between appointment focus.

As you can see, I have a great many opinions and suggestions for you! Please call or e-me for a complementary phone consultation.

Pop quiz: “How many people know there is a right way and a wrong way to wash your hair?”

When I mentioned this subject to one of my male friends their response was “It doesn’t matter how you wash your hair!”

I asked him: “Would you ever use a steel wool to clean your car?”

He said “That would be crazy and damage the car!”

Washing your hair the wrong way will damage your hair and leave it feeling less than beautiful. For all of your guys out there using the steps below will give you hair a woman will love to run her fingers through.

Wet hair is the only hair that should be shampooed. You wouldn’t wash a car that hasn’t been rinsed off would you? Take time to make sure your hair is thoroughly wet. I am not encouraging anyone to waste water however your hair needs to be wet all the way to your scalp.

Massage isn’t just for your back. Your hair is attached to your scalp is an extension of your body. Massaging your scalp does more than just feel good. A quality shampoo, such as the specialized products we provide, can penetrate deeper into your hair with a little massage. Avoid shampooing your hair more than once. Even when your hair doesn’t feel “great” one quality shampoo is far superior to shampooing twice.

Treat your hair with care. Many get rough with their hair. They scrub their hair like it is a pot with stuck on food. Be gentle with your hair. The better you treat your hair the better it will treat you!

Towel Dry. By the time you reach step 5 you should be feeling great. Your hair should have a healthy fun feeling. AND… the towel drying technique is important in so many ways! Please wring and squish your hair, not scrub it or you will hear it cry.

These steps, combined with the right shampoo, will put you on the path towards having the hair of your dreams

I was scratching my arm in my quest for thoughts to share with you and it “dawned on me” that I had joined the ranks of the tortured skin crowd. I have “Winter Skin” as I have so named it through the years, which is not nearly as bad as the other conditions I support, but no fun and oh so prolific.

Out came the Dare to Wear Black and the Shea butter and I was back in business. It is not so simple for most of my clients here at Autograf, but it can help if done with fully directed and continuous use.

Because I use Dare to Wear Black and have a good water filter to bathe in, most of the year I don’t need to lotion up my skin after my shower. Nice benefit. There are the times that D2 by itself is just not enough. For those times I have discovered that a Shea butter based product with very little fragrance, takes care of me.

***I would like to know what takes care of YOU and your condition!***
Please write or call and let’s pool our resources and solutions

My Father nearly died from Psoriasis... too much of his skin was affected by the condition… he ended up in a hospital for many days and will be on medication permanently. Hence my passion for helping people who are still in the earlier stages where medication is not required.

Today I want to offer you an article I found with a great deal of information about psoriasis. If you find it useful feel free to pass it on to all of your flakey friends! This might also be useful for family members and friends who do not understand what you are going through.

This is from MedicineNet.com. Here is the link and hope I see you on the other side!

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About Dawn Renée Mallory, Personal Trainer for Hair

Long, Carmel-y hair, blue eyes and a brain full of information about eczema, psoriasis and dandruff, cradle cap and plain old itchy scratchy heads & skin. Ready to help you with any of these & MORE!
Dawn is willing to share if it makes SOMEONE feel better about themselves.
Check out Dawn's very special website for an entertaining education in a beautiful, relaxing approach to her Personal Training for Hair, Scalp & Skin. www.autograf.com.
... founder of AUTOGRAF Specialty Haircare Solutions and developer of the AUTOGRAF line of products, Dawn has over 30 years of experience in the personal care industry. She has enjoyed being an active member of National Cosmetology Association as an organizational and educational leader, competitor, as well as a member of Hair America. Her salon and manufacturing facility ownership and multi-industry business consulting have formed a substantial business foundation. Hands-on performance, intuition and foresight have created the "never-before," long-term performance of the AUTOGRAF line. She is a licensed Instructor of Cosmetology, Aesthetics, Barbering and Manicuring in WA and is nationally certified.